Getting behind the wheel is a passion that goes all the way back to a young Calgarian’s first birthday.
And now it’s got 13-year-old Boss Patel on track to take on the world.
The Grade 8 student is getting ready to head off to a major motorsport competition in the Middle East in December.
“It’s going to be awesome,” Patel said.
Patel recently qualified to be part of Team Canada at a world go-kart racing championship in Bahrain.
Patel’s been behind the wheel since his dad gave him a kid-sized toy racing car at his first birthday party.
“My dad bought me a Ferrari Formula One Power Wheels car,” Patel said. “When I first sat in it I couldn’t reach the pedals, but I remember thinking ‘Oh my god – this is it!’”
Patel took up go-kart racing in 2021, and even at his first competition he made a strong impression on his current coach.
“I recognized talent that I haven’t seen for a long time in a beginner,” coach Phil Haggerty said.
Patel has developed his skills to the point where he feels comfortable and safe at high speeds.
“When you talk go-kart, you think rental karts – slow, 40 kilometers an hour,” Patel said, adding that he gets up “about 120 kilometers per hour – it’s super cool!”
Patel trains with the Calgary Kart Racing Club, practicing on the track at the Strathmore Motorsports Park every chance he gets.
“It just makes me happy – a big dopamine hit for me,” Patel said. “And I feel like I’m on top of the world every time I get in the go-kart.”
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